Ten-year-old boy accidentally kills classmate

CONFIRMING THE INCIDENT: Officer Commanding for Number 12 District Senior Superintendent Kevin Mookodi

A Standard Four pupil accidently killed his ten-year-old female classmate when a fight over a pencil spiralled tragically out of control.

The incident, which took place at Artesia Primary School on Wednesday, occurred after the class had been left unsupervised, with teachers and school management in a meeting.

According to pupils who witnessed the traumatic episode, the commotion started when the boy, who is also ten, snatched the little girl’s pencil.

When she demanded it back, the ‘pencil thief’ turned aggressive, allegedly punching the girl on the side of the face, just below her ear.

The blow caused her to lose balance and she fell over, hitting the back of her head on the concrete floor.

Sadly, she never regained consciousness and was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital.

When The Voice turned up at the young girl’s family home in Artesia the following day, the deceased’s devastated father revealed that funeral proceedings were already ongoing in Mochudi’s Ntshinoge ward.

Travelling the short distance to Mochudi, The Voice arrived to find the deceased’s family in a meeting, which also involved members of the boy’s family.

Speaking after the meeting, the girl’s grandmother, Gakgamalang Molefhe revealed the family would not be pressing charges against the boy.

“We have reached an agreement with the family and they agreed to assist where possible in the burial of our child,” said the old woman, adding that the boy’s family had apologised and shown ‘sincere remorse’.

Confirming the incident, Officer Commanding for Number 12 District, Senior Superintendent Kevin Mookodi said the two scholars were ‘playing’.

“The other accidentally pushed another, she fell on the floor and it resulted in death,” said Mookodi, adding that the boy has not been charged.